Members of Hadleigh's Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee last night refused to allay fears that the unlawful actions of the town's project officer could lead to any future decision being legally challenged.

Projects officer Alicja Barnes was found by the Babergh monitoring office to have acted 'unlawfully' when, as an unelected official, she took part in sub committee decision making and voted on agenda items, which she is not allowed to do.

While Hadleigh town councillors Rickaby Shearly-Sanders and Carol Schleip along with town clerk Wendy Brame and Ms Barnes, are well aware of the monitoring officers ruling, it was not clear if fellow committee members Katherine Kramer and Chris Aulman were aware and what concerns they may have about any potential future legal action against the committee decisions.

Hadleigh projects officer Alicja Barnes acted unlawfully according to Babergh monitoring officer (©NubNews)

A Hadleigh resident last night used the public forum to question the Neighbourhood Plan committee members about their awareness of the monitoring officer's findings and what they would do about the unlawful process.

Andrew Knock, speaking as a concerned member the public asked: "The Projects Officer was a member of this sub-committee, chairing, proposing motions, and voting. As councillor's know, the Monitoring Officer found that it is not lawful for an officer of the council to be co-opted to a committee role. 

"Have all members of the sub-committee been made aware of the Monitoring Officer's findings?"

Acting as chairman Cllr Shearly-Sanders told members they did not have to reply, and everyone stayed completely quiet.

Mr Knock then asked: "Has the sub-committee conducted a review of its decisions taken whilst the unlawful process was followed, to review the potential exposure of the Neighbourhood Plan and the council to legal challenge?"

Last night's chair Rickaby Shearly-Sanders and projects officer Alicja Barnes (©NubNews)

Cllr Shearly-Sanders again told members they did not have to answer, and no assurances were given that a review about the committee's lawfulness on decisions involving Ms Barnes would be carried out, and Mr Knock pointed out the chair was showing a complete lack of transparency.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Knock accused Cllr Shearly-Sanders endangering the future credibility and legality of the Neighbourhood Plan, which has already taken eight years, after it was first started in 2014..

He said: "I'm concerned that the two non-council people were not aware of the project officer's unlawful actions, and that is not my view but that of the Babergh monitoring officer, and the potential legal implications that means for the neighbourhood plan.

"Surely, if the committee wanted to do things properly they would carry out a review to ensure the integrity of the future plan.

Andrew Knock questioned Neighbourhood Plan process (©NubNews)

"Cllr Shearly-Sanders knows better than many on the council, what it is like to be speaking out when things are clearly wrong." 

The comment refers to the decision taken by Cllr Shearly-Sanders to resign from the council before the end of his term in 2019 accused of bullying, when an email he had written to Cllr Schleip was forwarded to all councillors and was taken out of context.

Last night's meeting at the Guildhall lasted just 11 minutes, including the public forum segment, with no signs that the costly, long running saga is anywhere near completion.

Mr Knock added: 'What another complete waste of time and tax-payers money.

"The delay in getting the Neighbourhood plan means that every development that comes forward is costing Hadleigh 10% in extra neighbourhood CIL payments, which could be used for the benefit of the town's infrastructure."

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